Lewis Hamilton has found the path to success with Ferrari in 2026, but Fred Vasseur believes that no single change explains this progress. According to him, it is the accumulation of many adjustments that made the difference.
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The return to the forefront of Lewis Hamilton with Ferrari is not linked to a single major event. This is at least the analysis of Fred Vasseur, who refuses to talk about any “game-changer” that transformed the performances of the seven-time world champion.
After a difficult first season under the Scuderia colors in 2025, the Briton shows a completely different face this year. In nine Grands Prix contested in 2026, Hamilton has already secured five podiums, including a long-awaited victory in Barcelona, giving Ferrari its first win of the season.
With these results, the 41-year-old driver currently occupies third place in the drivers’ championship, just 32 points behind Kimi Antonelli, the leader of the standings.
A marked contrast with a difficult first year at Ferrari
This momentum strongly contrasts with the 2025 campaign, which was the most difficult of Hamilton’s Formula 1 career.
For his first season with Ferrari, the Briton had not obtained any podiums and had publicly expressed his doubts after several disappointing performances. After difficult qualifying in Hungary, he even went as far as questioning his own level, mentioning the possibility that Ferrari might call on another driver.
But the arrival of the new generation of cars in 2026 seems to better meet the expectations of the seven-time world champion. The SF-26 was designed in an environment where Hamilton was able to make his voice heard more, unlike the 2025 car inherited from the project developed with Carlos Sainz.
The Briton notably obtained several technical adjustments, including the use of Carbon Industrie brake discs in a different configuration from the one traditionally associated with Ferrari’s partnership with Brembo.
Vasseur dismisses the idea of a decisive change
Asked about the reasons for Hamilton’s transformation, Fred Vasseur believes that this success is more based on a succession of gradual improvements than a radical change.
“I think it comes from both sides” explained the Ferrari boss to the media.
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According to him, the relationship between Hamilton and his team has also strengthened over the months, allowing for better mutual understanding.
“We know Lewis better, and he knows the team better. We have worked on this car from the start, as he was already present when we launched the project a year ago.”
For Vasseur, there is therefore no specific element that suddenly changed everything.
“Little pebble after little pebble, it’s not that there is a major change. It’s not a single stone, it’s much more aligned today.”
An SF-26 better suited to Hamilton’s needs
The Ferrari director also points out that the current car represents a more competitive base than that of the previous season.
“The car is probably also better than last year, that’s for sure, and we are progressing step by step.”
This collective evolution seems to have allowed Hamilton to regain the confidence necessary to fully exploit his potential. After a difficult first year of adaptation in Maranello, the Briton now benefits from a car better suited to his driving style, but also from closer collaboration with Ferrari engineers.
For Fred Vasseur, this rebirth is therefore above all the result of thorough work, built progressively rather than a simple technical or human upheaval.
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